A computer based study management system1

Abstract

The Computer Aided Instruction Study Management System (CAISMS) was designed to maintain attentive study of instructional materials. Students often fail to learn from books and other instructional sources because they do not study them carefully enough. CAISMS was designed to intermittently question the student about what he is studying so as to maintain deep processing. In practice, the student signs in at a computer terminal and receives a brief study assignment. Upon completing the assignment in a nearby work space, the student again signs in. This time he receives a short quiz over the assignment just finished. The cycle starts again with the next assignment. CAISMS was used in an introductory level college economics course with approximately 70 students. Achievement, procedural and attitudinal data indicate that the study management technique is feasible to administer and potentially effective in producing achievement gains over traditional ongoing instruction. Most students had favorable to very favorable opinions of the system, however they were not favorably disposed to the idea of having to study near a terminal in the library.